Frequently Asked Questions about Microchipping a Pet

Is it painful?
No more than any inoculation.

What does the average microchip cost the pet owner?
The microchip and its insertion by a vet or SPCA can cost between R250– R450. Your pet is then identifiable for life. The microchip never “wears” out. Your pet will always have an identity. It is the ultimate act of love that you can give your pet.

Are these microchips a type of a tracker system?
Microchips do not contain a battery, nor are they charged like a cell-phone. Therefore they do not send out a signal, and consequently cannot be tracked. There is no implantable animal microchip that can be tracked like a stolen car. Microchips are an "electronic ID book" for your pet. If lost the pet is scanned at a vet or SPCA for the microchip number. The information logged against that number is then accessed from the database of the relevant microchip company.

What happens if a pet owner moves overseas or the animal is exported?
The pet will have to be re-registered in the data base of the country of new residence.

If an animal is lost or stolen, can it be re-registered by someone else?
No, before implanting a microchip, the vet will check that the pet is not already implanted. For a change of ownership in the database, documentation is required and the currently registered owner will be contacted to confirm that the pet has been sold / given to the new applicant.

Why is it important to capture the current details of the pet owner?
This will ensure that pets found are re-homed as soon as possible, with the minimal amount to stress for the pet and the owner.

Is there a risk involved?

Do microchips cause cancer? The pet microchips and cancer question has surfaced and re-surfaced over the years, causing worry for those who have had their pets microchipped. Are microchips worth it? Let's look at the pros and cons.

The Pros

Millions of dogs, cats, horses, llamas and other animals have been microchipped without any reported problems.

Thousands of animals have been reunited with their people after becoming lost or stolen. According to one microchip manufacturer, 10,000 pets are reunited with their people each month thanks to their microchips.

Microchips work even after collars break or tags fall off.

Vets, shelters and pet owners can lookup and reunite pets and their people.

The Cons

Potential for injury or infection with implantation.

On rare occasion, microchips have migrated to other areas of the body other than the shoulder area.

Some animals have been reported to have tumors at the microchip location. Was the tumor caused by the chip? The exact cause has not been proven at this time.

A pet microchip creates a forever bond between you and the pet you love. Microchip your pets today, you’ll give your pets the best chance of coming back home to you.

We have taken a look at the following 4 companies who provide this very special service to you and your pets should they ever get lost or stolen one day:

Now that we know exactly how a microchip is implanted, let’s see what these company’s had to say about their products and what they can offer to you with regards to the cost of their microchip services and registering your pet:

These costs cover the network of microchip scanners at 145 SPCA branches and welfare organisations throughout South Africa, which have been provided and maintained FREE OF CHARGE by Identipet since 1989. Identipet is the ONLY microchip company with this animal welfare social responsibility program.

Registration: The Vet or SPCA will manually complete the form, or on-line upload to the Identipet website.
Registration, and data changes are submitted to Identipet via email, fax, phone or post , but are only actioned in terms of a strict policy to protect the integrity and security of owner and pet.
Identipet data records stand up in court.

Test your pets' microchip: Contact Identipet on Tel: (011) 957-3455 / 6 OR 082 6133 887 to confirm that your pet’s details are correct and up to date.
OR Click Here to enter your pets’ microchip number and view the data logged on the Identipet National Animal Database. You can also print a copy of your pet's microchip certificate.

Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public?
No. Identipet only supplies microchips to registered animal professionals, bone-fide farmers and breeders.
To register call (011) 957-3455 / 6, or download a form off www.identipet.com Once registered you will get an account and pin number.
The microchips start at a cost of R99.45 excl VAT each. Additional discounts given to SPCAs and animal welfare organisations, as well as bulk orders.

Benefits:

A managed database service, which provides up-to-date and credible data for the return of lost and stolen pets.

Confirmation of pet & owner data letter which is mailed to clients annually, , "We do the work, in case you forget"

Identipet has a unique and efficient “Trace Back” recovery system where the microchip is registered to the implanting practice at the time of delivery so the microchip is traceable to the pet at all times.

Cost: Once off fee. No annual fee. (Unit costs are varied depending on who provides the microchip to you : The vet, an animal shelter etc).

Registration: The pet owner is responsible to go online and register yourself a profile and then add your pet/s. Welfare organizations and Vet practises can also create their own occupational profile and add their clients animals to this as an added service. At the end of the day it is still the owners responsibility to check that the data on the system is correct.

Test your pets' microchip: Click Here to enter your pets’ microchip number and see if the information is still accurate.

Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public?
We feel this is a specialized procedure that needs to be done by veterinarian professionals.

Benefits:

Competitive pricing.

World class product with components manufactured in Germany and Switzerland.

ISO 11784/5 approved.

Paralyne coating to help prevent migration.

Depending on your need, you can select between 6mm, 9mm or 12mm microchip sizes.

Free on-line database.

No yearly subscription fees.

If an animal is suspected as being stolen, members can flag this on the database.

Lost animals can be identified via SMS line, Pet Found - online or cell phone.

Cost: Once off fee. No annual fee. (Unit costs are varied depending on who provides the microchip to you : The vet, an animal shelter etc).

Registration: BackHome microchips are only distributed to registered veterinarians. The implanting veterinarian completes the registration form and either faxes or scans it to Backhome. Details can also be entered by the vet directly online. Before they allow for change of ownership a form must be completed and signed by both parties, the forms are available on the website

Test your pets' microchip: CLICK HERE to enter your pets microchip number and see if the information is still accurate.

Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public?
No, we only supply our products to veterinarians, as we believe this is a specialised procedure and must be done correctly.

Benefits:

A lifetime of pet identification for an affordable cost.

Minimum stress, pain and discomfort to your pets.

Weight of the microchip is 33% less.

Due to the smaller size of the needle, transponder and the silicone, the "BackHome" MINI microchip reduces pain during the implant.

Safer and more reliable. This microchip is smaller than a grain of rice and is encapsulated in parylene a tissue friendly material which reduces the possibility of migration of the chip.

The transponder is completely passive and does not provoke any harm or allergies.

Online access for the pet owner. Virbac will provide the vets' clients with access to the details of their pets on the BackHome database.

Pet owners can add alternative contact details such as when they are on holiday etc.

Scanners read ISO11784/5 FDX-A, GDX-6 and HDX standards.

BackHome mini transponders are ISO 11784 and 11785 Certified according to ISO 9002.

This is what the average microchip syringe package looks like:

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The microchip readers all look similar to this unit:

The actual microchip looks similar to this illustration below:

Note: Please check each service provider for updated fees, as we can not guarantee to be updated with any changes.

From there, the cost of owning a pet has increased dramatically over the past few years due to the advancement of the veterinary service offering. Not many pet parents can afford much needed medical procedures which they are bound to experience during their pets' lifetime. That is why we recommend that you consider pet insurance for your pet today.